Hypertension, or high blood pressure, is a major global health concern. An estimated 30 to 40% of the adult population in the world suffers from this condition. Furthermore, its prevalence is expected to increase, especially in developing countries. Diagnosis and treatment of hypertension remain suboptimal, and most patients struggle to properly control blood pressure.
Benign prostatic hyperplasia is a non-cancerous enlargement of the prostate gland, which affects more than 50% percent of men over the age of 60. Early in life, the prostate is approximately the size of a walnut, weighing about 20 grams. Prostate enlargement, over time, is thought to be normal. With age, the prostate gradually increases to at least twice its original size. Prostate growth causes pressure to build against the neighboring urethra, leading to narrowing of this latter organ, and ultimately resulting in urinary obstruction which makes urinating difficult.
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is associated with two major airflow obstruction disorders: chronic bronchitis and emphysema. Chronic bronchitis results from inflammation of the bronchial airways. The bronchial airways connect the trachea to the lungs. Emphysema is a disease, which results from over-inflation of alveoli, or the air sacs in the lungs. This condition causes shortness of breath. Approximately 16 million Americans suffer from COPD, the majority of which (80-90%) are lifetime smokers. COPD is a leading cause of death in the United States.
Asthma is a chronic respiratory disease characterized by excessive narrowing of the airways and caused by inflammation of the airways, excess mucus production and airway hyper responsiveness, This narrowing of the airways makes breathing difficult and can significantly impact patients' lives, limiting participation in numerous activities. In severe cases, asthma attacks can be life-threatening. To date, there is no known cure for asthma.
Chronic sinusitis (CS) results from inflammation of the membrane lining in one or more paranasal sinuses and is typically associated with significant tissue damage. Approximately 37 million cases of CS are reported annually to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Diabetes is a metabolic condition, or combination of conditions, where an individual experiences high concentrations of blood glucose. The condition is caused either by insufficient production of insulin within the body or by failure of cells to respond properly to insulin. Glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) is a marker of plasma glucose concentration and is clinically used for the diagnosis of diabetes. In humans, normal HbA1c levels are typically <6.0%, prediabetes HbA1c levels range from 6.0 to 6.4%, and diabetes HbA1c levels exceed 6.5%.
Diabetes is one of the leading causes of death and disability in the United States and in other developed countries. It is associated with long-term complications that affect almost every part of the body. It has been linked, for instance, to blindness, heart and blood vessel disease, stroke, kidney failure, amputations, and nerve damage.
Within the United States, diabetes affects approximately 8 percent of the population and has resulted in costs that approach $250 billion.
Diabetes is typically classified as either type 1 (also referred to as insulin-dependent diabetes or juvenile diabetes), wherein the patient fails to produce sufficient insulin, type 2 (also referred to as non-insulin-dependent diabetes, adult-onset diabetes, or obesity-related diabetes), wherein the patient fails to respond properly to insulin, or gestational diabetes, a condition which develops late in pregnant women.
Type 2 diabetes is the most common form of diabetes, accounting for 90 to 95% of overall cases. It is generally associated with older age, obesity, family history, previous history with gestational diabetes, and physical inactivity. It is also more prevalent in certain ethnicities. Type 2 diabetes is also referred to as insulin-resistant diabetes, as the pancreas typically produces sufficient amounts of insulin, but the body fails to respond properly it. Symptoms associated with type 2 diabetes include fatigue, frequent urination, increased thirst and hunger, weight loss, blurred vision, and slow healing of wounds or sores.
Obesity is another significant health concern, particularly in the developed world. It is a complex, multifactorial and chronic condition characterized by excess body fat, which results from an imbalance between energy expenditure and caloric intake. Although the causes of this imbalance are not completely understood, genetic and/or acquired physiologic events and environmental factors are thought to contribute. The adverse health effects associated with obesity, and more specifically morbid obesity, have become well-established in recent years. Such adverse effects include, but are not limited to, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, arthritis, and sleep apnea. Generally, as a patient's body mass index (BMI) rises, the likelihood of suffering the adverse effects linked to obesity also rises.
Nonalcoholic fatty liver is another health concern, which occurs when the liver has trouble breaking down fats, causing fat to build up in the liver tissue of people who drink little or no alcohol. Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease is common and, for most people, causes no signs and symptoms and no complications. But in some people with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, the fat that accumulates can cause inflammation and scarring in the liver. This more serious form of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease is sometimes called nonalcoholic steatohepatitis. At its most severe, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease can progress to liver failure.